Illuminated signal for elevator installations



PATENT oarce.-

' FRANZ A. BOEDTCHER, or ennenivrmrn, NEW JERSEY.-

' ILLuMmn'rnn SIGNAL Fort ELEVATOR INSTALLATIONS.

Application filed May 22, 1924. Serial No. 715,014.

This inventionis an illuminated signal adapted to bev used especially on panel boards and in connection with theposition and direction indicating and car signaling systems of an elevator and has for its object a construction which may be made relative: ly small, but which will nevertheless be i clearly-visible under all conditions and in all places, Signals 'of this character frequently have to be made relatively small 'particularf ly when used on. anel boards where space must be minimized audit is essential to obtain clear visibility even'though the indlcia exhibited by the: signal maybe relatively small. L

The invention, in its preferred form, embodies a glass anel, the front face of which is preferably flat and in the back-face of which is cast the indicia', either letter, word, symbol, character or combination thereof to the end that the said indicia is in the form .of'one or more recesses directly within the panel which, in ractice, is made transparent and polished bot 1 on its front and rear face, so as to enhance its transparency and facilitate the, passage of light therethrough wlthout deleterious or harmful refraction.

The walls of the recess or-recesses thus i formed are coated with color' which maybe opaque in character, but is'preferably translucent, so that light in back of the panel may be seen in color as viewed through the indicia.

Backof the plate in which the indicia are forme'd'is positioned a second plate or sheet of glass, which may befrosted, but I pres for to use opal lass forthis back plate andback of the bac plateis positioned a lamp] or other suitable source of illumination. As

a result of this construction, the light from the source enetrates the opal back plate and the front p ate showing the indicia standing out in apparent bold relief in color on .a perfectly white background. The effect is not only highly pleasing but producesmaximum vlsibi ity when see'n from any angle.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the heroin after detailed description and claim, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but

the construction therein shown, isto be' undelfstood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits ofthe invention.

Figure. 1 is. a perspectivelview showing a tion; and, I

Figure 2 is a section plane of the line 22 of construction embodying'the present inven- E)erspeetive in the interests of clearness.

- Referring tothe drawings, 1 designates the front plate or panel, which, in practice, may be of an suitable contour, but for the purpose of il ust-ration' is shown as rectanoo. I igure 1, showing the front" and back plates separated in the' gulainr It is, in practice, usually cast and in the process of casting, one or more recesses or-iudentations 2 are formed 1n the back face thereof. These depresslonsare made relati-vely 'deep and may be of; an suitable shape which will depend particu aIrly upon the use ofthe signal. For the purpose of illustration, the signal is shown as for exhibiting the numeral 910? adaptingitfor use either on a panel board or in conjunction I with an annunciator or a stop or position indicatin signal to designate the tenth floor of the building in'which the installation is made. In practice, however, any suitable words, s mbols or other characters may be formed in the front plate 1.

The superficial surfaces of each recess 2 are coated with suitable coloring m terial, such for example as a liquid paint or dye, which, in practice, may be opaque, prefer to employ transparent coloring ma-j teriaL After the plate '1 has been cast and recesses colored, both the front and rear face of the plate are polished to eliminate undesiraile refraction and the plate is thereupon rea which, in practice, may be frosted glass,

. but is preferabl opal glass. This 0 al glass ives a perfect y white background to the ront plate 1 and positioned tightly against the back of the front plate, so as to for, assembly with a back plate 3,

form a seal for the depressions 2 so that the lamp entry ofdust or foreign matter thereinto is the opal back plate 3 an through the front [plate 1 and the characters 2 recessedithere- 1n. When thus exhibited, the'eharaetcrs 2 4 or other. suitable source of'lightr The result is that the ht shines through butI.

plates 1 and 3 are positioned face appear to' be in bold relief, in color and on a perfectly white background, so unsome very efi'ective signs by using usual'high" visibility results and theisignal may thus, when made even in the smallest.

sizes, be clearly seen under the most ad-.

either. transparent or translucent,'and preferably white celluloid is employed in practice 1n this connection. This gives 'a' very chea construction and inasmuch as it can be 0 tained in pure white a very nice contrast is had between the colored letters or numbers and this bac und. I have made white celluloid as a background and usin gilt celluloid or glass may be used and either may be white or colored.

I Having thus fully described the invention, what I 'claim as new and desire to secure b Letters Patent is:

A signal embodying a transfparent front i 25 plate 'provided' in its rear ace with a depression constituting signaling indlcla, translucent coloring matter coating said, de-

pression to impart the desired color thereto,

a translucent back plate positioned in facial engagement with the rear of the front-plate to cover and close the de ression in the rear illuminating bothftheback plate and the indicia, and the colored indicia appearing as in relief. paint in the letters; Other materia than foregoing specification. I

' FRANZ A. BOEDTCHER.

In testiiiiony whereof I have signed the 

